What would it take for you to do what you want or need to do - to get fit; get in shape; lose weight; put on weight; improve your muscle-tone; to exercise regularly; to give up eating fattening foods; to diet correctly; to change your lifestyle and get active...?

I'm not talking about price in money terms - I'm talking about your price in terms of effort and time.

If you could "get in shape" immediately - overnight - using a magic pill... would you take it?If it took a day of self-denial and hard workouts... would you still go for it?What about if it took a week... a month... 3 months... 6 months... a year... 2 years...?Is there a point at which you say NO!, that's too long? How long is "too long" when put into the context of your whole life?

Wouldn't it be worth even, say 2 years, to transform your whole body, if you are going to enjoy it for the rest of your life?Is 2 years of regular exercise and nutrition control more difficult and painful to endure than 2, 5, 10, 20, 30 more years of being overweight, out of breath, physically restricted, unhappy with your physique?

Is the chance of enjoying the rest of your life having a body you're truly happy with, not worth the time and effort of two years?

But our bodies don't need two years - at the most they need only one to burn off excessive body-fat. Most people could achieve their goals in half that time. It takes about two weeks to kick your metabolism up into fat-burning action. Within six weeks you can go from zero condition to being able to run 5 kilometers and more; from having minimum muscle-tone and strength to getting back to full natural fitness. Six weeks! Your body is THAT effective, THAT resilient.

I've never been to a personal development seminar - never done a workshop. But PD has been an interest of mine throughout my life, and I've read about these seminars - even watched them in action on video. Groups of people with diverse personal issues, and goals for self-improvement. Lead by an "expert" (guru) who is there to inspire, motivate, and lead them to the discovery of their "inner power" and "unlimited potential" - helping them to overcome their fears.

A typical scenario is the fire-walking session... or learning to break a plank of wood with a karate chop. These experiences are intended to help the person overcome their conditioned beliefs about their capabilities and limitations. The idea is that breaking through a limiting belief on the physical plane will help them see through all their other limiting beliefs.

The person thinks: "HEY! - I never thought I had the strength to chop through a piece of wood with my hands... but I did. I've been underestimating myself. Maybe I've also got what it takes to do other things I never thought I could do: be a success, be attractive, stop being afraid to take risks, start that new business, improve my whole life..."

The message is: break through your physical barriers first - then you'll have the references to help you break through all your psychological barriers... the ones that are really holding you back.

No-one ever set up a successful business just to prove to themselves they have what it takes to break wood with their hands.

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Question: Who's had experience of Personal-Development seminars and workshops? And did they help? How?Share your experiences with us in the comments section below.

Getting your body into shape is a goal much like any other. It starts with a desire, then a reason, then an analysis of the obstacles, then a decision, then a plan... and then the action - the steps that will get you there. Staying on that path is not so hard when the "whys and hows" are understood.

But even when you know why, and even when you know how, getting yourself motivated to take that first step onto your path can be your greatest obstacle.

I was noting down some topics for eventual blog-posts or articles, and realized that the titles I formulated read like motivational quotes. So I've decided, instead of just waiting until I write the full articles in depth, I could first post the titles, as a list of self-motivation tips/quotes - and let you interpret them for yourself.

Here's the list then, in no particular order... and I've included a couple of existing quotes I came across from other sources:

The chances are that you will live to be 90 - pace yourself...

A good home workout saves time and money.

What's better - getting in shape eventually... or never?

Nothing is hard - it just seems so until we know it, or can do it.

Start doing... or stop wanting.

Excuses are affirmations, that can quickly become truths.

What sort of body do you want to wear into your old age?

Be inspired by the adventure of yourself.

Live as if you're going to live forever.

Know why - then you'll know how.

Strive for progress, not perfection (unknown source)

Fear is what stops you - courage is what keeps you going (unknown source)

"It's never too late to become who you might have been" (George Elliot)

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? (unknown source)

All you need is your body, and gravity, to exercise efficiently.

When do you stop wanting - and start doing?

Good excuses don't make legitimate reasons.

Be in the minority... do what you say you're going to do.

It's not just your job to take care of your body... it's your privilage.

Why be content with using such a small percentage of your physical capacity?

Do you want a body like a sportscar... or a school-bus?

Get back in shape once... and be done with it.

Get back in shape now... and get it over and done with.

Discover your (physical) limitations... or create them.

The fear of getting old is a fear of losing control. Why set it up to happen?

Even small steps will get you there.

Even small improvements are successes.

Know what stops you - and stop that!

There are no real reasons to do anything - so make some... and make them good.

Life is an adventure - every path is open for exploration.

Be remarkable - even if it's only for you... especially if it's only for you.

Strive for functional fitness - not cosmetic.

Redesign yourself.

Question: Do you know any powerful motivational quotes or sayings, within the theme of physical improvement, getting in shape, losing weight etc.? We'd love to hear them. Share them here in the comments section.

My 6 week Shapeshifter program has been over a while now, but I"m still enjoying the benefits. I don't have to workout everyday, and I don't have to be strict with what I eat.

One of the most trying aspects of the program was cutting out all the sugars and grains from my diet. I used to eat biscuits and chocolate almost daily - and of course bread was a staple part of my diet. I missed them. But it was only for 6 weeks. I can eat them again. I don't go mad stuffing my face, but I don't have to avoid them like the plague. And I can enjoy potatoes and pasta now and again too.

I wondered for a while if this would pile the pounds on immediately, storing fat on my belly again. But it's not happened. And I know why this is.

I exercise now, not by doing the Shapeshifter workouts everyday, but by just being more active in my daily life. I run a couple of times a week; I've been trampolining (that really burns calories); I throw in a couple of push-up sessions per week (can do one-armed push-ups again); and when I feel I need to give my whole body a boost, I do one or two of the more intense Shapeshifter workouts... after each other.

But I also still eat mostly low-carb, AND I fast at least once a week. Everything's in balance now. I don't have to work hard at keeping the shape... THIS is the reward for doing the program in the first place. And this is what some people forget. It's easier to stay in shape than get into shape. Following a program like Shapeshifter doesn't mean you have to deny yourself those simple eating pleasures for ever. It took 5 years for my belly to get the way it did... it took 5 weeks to get it flat again.

It used to be... but times have changed. The problem is that society's view of being 50 hasn't changed. It's still locked in to the belief that 50 is the definitive end to our prime years, and that it's too late for dreams and ambitions, for new learning, for new practices and new goals. Everything is so much more difficult after 50 than ever before.

But there's a huge discrepancy with this view - because when we DO reach 50, we realize that we don't actually feel any different in our hearts and heads... we don't feel old there, we feel the same. And yet our bodies tell a different story. They seem to confirm our fears, and tell us that it's time to slow down, that we shouldn't expect too much, that we've probably only got another 20 years or so left on this earth, so we need to take it extra careful.

But society is lying to us; our bodies are lying to us; our fears and conditioned minds are lying to us. It's all a lie - complete and utter nonsense.

At fifty, you are still very much in the prime of your life... and your life is bursting with potential. Especially on the physical level is this important to realize. At 50, and for many years after, we have the capacity to be as fit, strong, sleak, toned, flexible and active as we've ever been.

Ask yourself how you would like to be physically. Think back to your youth and ask yourself if you reached your physical potential then. Probably not - only top athletes get close to that. But just as in your youth you only used a fraction of your potential, so is it now. And using more of your potential NOW, is very likely to see you in better shape than you allowed yourself to be when you were younger.

To use myself as an example: I'm 53, and I'm in better shape than I've been most of my adult life. This isnt the result of years of training - far from it. I've led a rather sedentary, unsportive life, relying on my natural metabolism (and under-eating) to keep me thin, and a little manual labour to keep me strong. But then came the hormonal changes that slowed my metabolism, and started storing fat around my belly and eating away at my muscle tone.

My body followed the "normal" patterns of middle-age. But I was convinced that it didn't have to be like this - and that's when I bought the Shapeshifter program and transformed my physique in 6 weeks. Just 6 weeks to turn around the effects of years of physical neglect.

A return to the youth of 10 or 20 years ago? We can't have that. But we don't need it, because there's enough youthful vitality still in our "aged" bodies. And we don't want it either, because we would probably take it for granted and waste it again as we did back then. The point is to NOT waste your potential now, but rather discover it and develop it - so you're not looking back in another 10 years from now, wishing you could be young again like you were when you were fifty.

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ETERNAL YOUTH...?

You've got to understand that the "magic source of eternal youth" is within you... it IS you. It's your committment to yourself, your respect for your body, your belief in your still undiscovered potential - it's your "decision" to be a better physical you... now. To be your own role-model... be your own hero.

Let the world think what it wants. You can still be any shape you want, be as fit as you want, live any life that you want. Fifty years has given you the life experience, the self-awareness, the insight and the wisdom to understand this.

If you don't believe this, let's look at what it takes to get in shape. What you lost from your youth was muscle-tone, strength and mobility. What you got in return is body-fat. This is the simple result of the slowing of your metabolism - partly due to hormonal changes; partly to your lifestyle habits and physical inactivity. To get back your youthful figure, you just need to get rid of the fat, and build up the muscle-tone - right?

Can you lose fat after 50? Yes. I did. It's simple when you combine the correct nutrition with exercise designed to increase metabolism.Can you build muscle-tone after 50? Yes. I did. It's easy when you combine exercise that is designed to increase strength, with eating enough of the muscle-building nutrients.Does it take long? I got my results in 6 weeks (not long). The more fat you need to lose the more time it takes; the more muscle you want to build, the more time it takes. The older you are, the more time it takes. But time shouldn't be an issue - regardless of the time it takes, improving your body at any age, is always better than never.

No, you can't go back... but you CAN go forward in excellent shape.

What is it that you want to hear? That you ARE old? That it's dangerous to try to improve yourself physically after a certain age? That it's so hard that it's not worth it? Some people really DO want to hear this - it gives them a good excuse not to do anything... to continue neglecting their bodies and blaming it on their age. But there are no excuses. You're body may require more attention than it used to, but that is not an excuse to give it none.

After fifty, we can look back on a life rich in the experiences befitting each life-phase:*Our 20's were a time for self-discovery and definition,*Our 30's for establishing our role in society,*Our 30's and 40's for the sacrificing of our egos in the service of our children...

All these phases have made us wise - but not old.

Now, in our 50's, we are free'er. We have more time for ourselves. We can reflect on who we've been, how we played the "societal" game, and we can define ourselves anew. We are above the game, we can choose our own values, independent of peer-approval. We can be our own creators in mind and body.

So who are you? Some people are old at 35, others are young at 75 - which are you?Some people are grunting and groaning already at 40 - others are running marathons into their 90's - who do you want to be?YOU can decide who you want to be - and then recreate yourself in the image of that "ideal".

The chances are good that you will reach 80, or beyond... but in what state? The more attention you give to your body now, the more you increase those chances in your favour. The choice is always yours: to take charge of your body and improve it, optimize it for a rich experience of the next 30 or more years... or lay down the towel now, at the halfway stage, never discovering your potential, continuing on a well-trodden path to an expected demise - getting old and worn-out by 70, helpless and dependent by 80 - giving away what may be your BEST years, just because you don't believe in them.

It just occured to me how dependent we are on the advice of experts. And how easy it is for them to tell us what's good for us and what's not. Seth Godin – I read his blog often, looking for words and ideas that will make me feel good. For words that motivate and reassure me. One of his latest posts was, funny enough, on the reassurance of the lizard brain in us, and how this brain holds us back from just moving forward.

.How easy it is to do something once you've already reached the goal, already got the results in from your efforts, and they've proved successful.

I'm a fan of Seth Godin – but it's easy for him to talk – he's got his success, he doesn't have to struggle – he doesn't have to face doubt, ride on hope – if something new doesn't work, he's still got his success to back him. It's easy for him to say – go out and just do it, be courageous, believe in yourself – when it's already worked for him.For the rest of us, we're still at the beginning – we're hoping for success but there's no guarantee that we'll succeed. We're still facing the dangers, we've still got the obstacles to climb over, still got the fear to conquer.I know this because I quit my job and I'm putting all my hopes in my dream of creating an online income. I also know this because I have just finished a workout program to get rid of my bodyfat and build me a new, better looking, better functioning body.In the first case I'm still haunted by thoughts of “what if this doesn't work?” And it doesn't matter how much I read Seth Godin's insightful and motivating words – all the pressure is still on me and I know it won't go away until I've got the outcome I hope so desperately for.In the second case I've succeeded, and I never have to go through that process again. I'll still have to watch my diet, and I'll still have to exercise to stay in shape – but I know it works for me, I know I can make it work, I know I have the control to get the results I want.So I share this with others – and I offer advice, saying – believe in yourself, be courageous, and go out and just do it. And I realize that it's easy for me to talk – I've got my success, I don't have to struggle, face doubt, ride on hope.What this tells us, tells me, is that ultimately we are alone. We can search and find motivating words, find our rolemodels and heroes, follow their advice and use their tactics, use their stories and successes to comfort us in our own trials... but we are alone. We still have to take our own steps, and we won't feel release from the pressure until we get the outcome we hope so desperately for.

An old friend once insinuated (20 years ago) I was a loser because I hadn't accumulated as much"wealth" as he had at the time (big car, big house, big income...). I told him there was plenty of time... no hurry.That friend passed away a little while ago at 52 years of age.Another friend admitted to me, when we were both 30, that he'd given up on his dream of becoming a rockstar... and advised me to do the same, saying we were both too old.As a youth, I told everyone that I intended to be a millionaire by the time I was 30. I wasn't. My sister has never let me forget it. My response is that there is still time, and what does it matter if I'm a little late.I have to admit, I still cherish my dreams - I believe there's always time. Older people than me are creating million-dollar businesses on the internet. Others older than me have made their first albums, distributed them over the internet and been "discovered" on YouTube.How could I give up on my dreams while others are achieving them?There is never really a time to give up, and you're never to old to start. Life is not over til it's over.What would you rather have - a million dollars at 75, or never?What would you rather have - to get fit, healthy and slim after 50... or never?

Why is it always 100? Why not 150?Reaching 100 these days is getting to be so commonplace - more and more people are doing it, more and more people are realizing they can do it too... it's like the four-minute-mile.Is this all it takes to get us all to that goal? I think so.70, 75, 80... these ages have been the accepted general limit for way too long. With people of 80, 90 even 100, running marathons, you'd have to be naïve to still consider yourself fortunate in making it to 75. Come on... it's a walk in the park... life begins at 50!If you put a limit on your lifespan, you're pretty likely to create the self-fulfilling profecy of only reaching that limit - or you'll end up facing the dissappointment of passing it... shame about all those inactive years waiting for the man with the scythe to come calling.I don't care what the scientists say about human lifespan. Their research and findings are only based on their science - and that's just another form of perception. It works if you believe in it; it's the truth as long as nothing disproves it; you get what you are looking for. But nothing is definitive. Just because no-one has yet lived to be 150, doesn't mean it can't be done.Not believing it possible, is a sure way of making it impossible - but imagine the day someone does reach 150... proof! Then everyone should be able to do it. That's really going to piss-off a lot of people up there in heaven who threw in the towel at the halfway point.You want to reach 75? Don't change anything. Want to reach 80 or 90? Set your goal to 100. A goal is not always a place to reach, but a place to aim for - the farther you aim, the farther you come. Want to reach 100? Aim for 150... and live your 50's, 60's and 70's as if you're still in the prime of your life. This alone will give you the motivation and inspiration to stay physically active enough to assure the probability of reaching your goal.Want to live to 150? Aim for 200... and see how that alters your perception.

One of the standard recommendations from experts to people wanting to improve themselves or their performance in any area, is to find a rolemodel. Find someone who has already achieved what you want to achieve, and emulate their techniques and tactics... even their personality.If they can do it, so can you - if you do the same things they did in the same way.Sound advice for sure - no point in re-inventing the wheel, taking risks, wasting time.But how far do we go in "cloning" ourselves around the model of another? We are all unique, and there are limitless variables that can influence the results of our actions, even if we are following someone else's patterns.Better I think, to model yourself on yourself... on your ideal of yourself. You can never be sure of your limitations or capabilities until you put them to the test - and therein lies the true adventure of being you. And no-0ne is better suited to creating a better you, than yourself.Aim to be the best that you can be - and in doing so, you'll set an example to others... maybe even become their rolemodel.